Return of The Mount Hua – Chapter 1474. The things done become the results (3)
Editor: Hoamzz
Co-Translator: Xoxo
“Thi- This the lodging?”
"Please go inside first."
"Yes?"
“If you stay out here like this, it will hinder assigning lodging to other people. Please go in first and unpack. Further explanations will be given all at once later.”
The man nodded.
Indeed, even at this moment, new people were continuously flocking in from behind. And the mouths of those who saw the interior of the building gaped open on their own.
"Le- Let's go in first."
"Yes."
They swallowed dryly and carefully opened the front door. And those who saw the inside of the building had their mouths open involuntarily.
"...What is this?"
The outside looked decent, but honestly, he thought they would be lucky if the inside was even warehouse-level. But to their surprise, the inside was also fairly well put together.
It wasn’t that it had showy and beautiful decoration. It simply had everything it needed. Partition walls divided the space appropriately into rooms, and along the walls, there were platforms where one could rest just by laying a blanket.
“Goodness.”
Holding the trembling shoulder of the flustered wife, the man turned to look at the person who had guided them.
“I- I’m sorry, but… There must be some mistake.”
“Huh? A mistake?”
“Yes. We are not here as guests but as refugees. Something..."
The man let his words trail off with an apologetic expression.
Having seen a decent house, why wouldn't there be feelings of wanting to stay? The child is tired, so he just want to sit down and rest without thinking about anything.
But they couldn’t. Those who had always lived with things being taken away knew this: having something snatched back after briefly holding it was twice as despairing as never having had it at all.
If they thought they would live here but then got driven out to shabby tents again, that disappointment would be indescribable.
But the answer to that concern was quite simple.
“This is for you… Hmm. It says ‘Chae’ here.”
The person casually confirmed the name on the nameplate and said without pause,
“This is the residence of Chae Camily, and there won’t be any changes, so don’t worry. Look. Aren't other people also going into the same kind of place?"
The man named Chae blinked his eyes. The people who came in after him certainly looked no different from his family, and they were assigned to the room next to them.
“S- So we can really use this? But everyone who came here is…”
“As long as there’s no shortage of houses, that’s how it’ll be. After that..."
The face of the person speaking suddenly distorted.
“No… that’s how it’ll be. Because there won’t be a shortage of houses.”
It was incomprehensible words. Chae let out a hollow laugh.
“Anyway, unpack and rest here for now. It's difficult to explain now because we're busy, but soon, someone from the Alliance will come out and inform you of what you will do in the future and various other things. Well then."
"Wa- Waitt!"
"Yes?"
The man who was turning around glanced back at Chae.
“C- Can I just ask one more thing?”
"Yes. What is it?"
“There’s someone who came with us. Where did they go? I saw them heading off to another place partway through.”
"People who came alone are assigned different lodging than this place. To give one person a house of the same size would be..."
"R- Right. Then?"
“Yes. They probably went to a shared lodging.”
"Ah... Then all the people who came as families get this kind of...?"
"No."
"What?"
The man, seeming impatient, glanced ahead before quickly replying.
"These lodgings are assigned to those with young children. Even if they are a family, we do not give a whole house to everyone."
"Ah..."
The man glanced at the child on Chae's back and said.
"After all, it would be difficult to care for a child while living together with other people. Anyway, you'll soon learn about all the other things too. Well then."
The man nodded and quickly walked away. Chae stared blankly at his retreating back, then looked back at the assigned lodging.
"It's not like I'm possessed by a ghost either."
“De- Dear. Instead of standing here like this…”
"Th- That's right! We shouldn't be doing this, let's go inside."
"That's not it!"
"Huh?"
The woman, who was carrying a lot of luggage, spoke as if frustrated.’
"Shouldn't we try to contact Hubei somehow? Your brother's family didn't come with us."
"Ah, right. It wouldn't be any different whether they're in Shaanxi or there."
"If they knew it was like this here, wouldn't they have come? Seeing this, it seems like a lot more people will be coming in the future."
"Righ...”
Chae paused mid-sentence.
"But if we call them here and there end up being not enough houses…"
"Move aside!!"
“Huh?”
Chae flinched in shock. A cart piled mountain-high with timber came barreling down the path where they stood.
"I told you to move to aside!"
As they hurriedly moved aside, a cart passed before them like a flash. The timber stacked to about twice the height of an adult man swayed as if it would collapse at any moment.
Gurrrrung! Gurrrrung! Gurrrrung!
Ten such carts passed by in succession. Chae, who was standing there blankly breathing in the dust, slowly nodded his head.
“I guess houses won’t run short.”
“Let’s find a way to contact them.”
"Right. Let's go inside for now."
Before entering, he looked at the nameplate nailed beside the door. A plate bearing their surname. He squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head.
"It's not like I'm possessed by a ghost."
***
Chung Myung, who had climbed halfway up Mount Hua, poked his head out and looked down at the scenery of Huayin. People who had flocked in lines from afar were being neatly stored (?) in Huayin.’
"Hmm, they're not too late."
At Chung Myung's words, Jo-Gol was startled and asked in an excited voice.
"Hey… did you know this would happen?"
"Know what?"
"Did you know so many people would come like this? Is that why you built so many buildings?"
"What else did you think I was building them for?"
"Well... Since you're always a bit too much whatever you do, I just thought you were riding the momentum and kept building... Chung Myung-ah. But I'm your sahyung, so you shouldn't look at me like that. At least look at me with eyes that see a human being."
"You have to say human-like things to be seen as a human."
The tearful Jo-Gol pointed to his left and right.
"Do you think only I thought that way? Do you think everyone else knew why we were building them? Sasuk, say something."
Baek Cheon smiled brightly.
“I knew it."
"Me too."
"So did I."
“Amitabha. It’s obvious.”
Jo-Gol lost his words. His accusing gaze at his sahyungs looked like he was staring at traitors who sold out their country.
“These traitors..."
"That’s what you get for speaking up first. It’s not like this is the first time, either."
At Yoon Jong’s not-quite-a-comforting comment, Jo-Gol drooped his shoulders.
Baek Cheon, letting out a short laugh, looked at Chung Myung again.
'He really is an amazing guy.'
Others were engrossed in war preparations. All their nerves were focused on how to gather as many martial artists as possible to face Evil Tyrant Alliance.
But Chung Myung looked at a different place from the start.
Everything he did upon returning to Shaanxi was, when you think about it, all preparation for receiving refugees.
"How many more do you think will come?"
"Hm?"
"Refugees. There will be at least twice as many, right?"
Chung Myung looked at Baek Cheon with a blank expression.
"You kid used to be somewhat sharp once."
Baek Cheon's face crumpled wretchedly.
"Just answer! Don't add any side remarks before you answer."
"Talking nonsense about twice as many. This is just the beginning."
Chung Myung chuckled.
"The rumors will spread to those who thought Shaanxi would be the same. No, the rumors are already spreading. Their news will only confirm those rumors."
"......"
"Unless they're from areas that don't need to evacuate, they'll consider coming here first. Even if only a third of them come... Hmm."
Chung Myung’s eyes gleamed coldly as he trailed off.
"That's right. Then even with what we have now, it's a bit insufficient, so we need to shave down that mountain over there more..."
Before he could finish, Jo-Gol grabbed Baek Cheon by the collar.
"Why! Why did you have to say something unnecessary...!"
"....Sorry."
I didn't know it would turn out like this either. But you bastard, I'm still your Sasuk....
Baek Cheon shook off Jo-Gol's hand, shrugged his shoulders and asked.
"What you're really aiming for is using this as an excuse to bring other sects along, right? There are probably some who think Heavenly Comrade Alliance is the better choice deep down, but they can’t openly break away from Ten Great Sects."
"Half correct."
“But it’s not as simple as you think. As you know, feeding all those people is not an easy task, is it? What Mount Hua has gathered until now..."
"Huh? Feed them? Me? Those people?"
Chung Myung looked back with a face that said, 'What the hell are you talking about?' Baek Cheon flinched. Because a truly puzzled look was tinged in that gaze.
"Th- Then what are you going to do? Are you going to starve them to death or something? Anyway, for people who've come this far, don't we have to take responsibility until they return?"
"Return? Where?"
At that moment, Baek Cheon saw.
The expression appearing on Chung Myung’s face was one he knew… one he knew all too well.
"This is their home now, so what are you talking about? Coming is up to them, but leaving isn't."
"......"
"Let me see, I need to receive some rent from the houses built over there, and to do this and that, there will be a lot to do."
"R- Receive rent? Hey, you rascal! Those people are refugees!"
“...Sasuk. You seem to be mistaken. Those yangban are refugees. Not as wounded. Do you know what that means?"
"Well?"
“Just half a month ago, they were workers raising their kids and finding food with their bare hands.”
Chung Myung's eyes took on a cunning tint.
"Those people just moved from Hubei to Shaanxi. If there's work to do here, why would they bother going all the way back to Hubei?"
“No, Chung Myung. It seems you don't know because you don't have a hometown..."
"Wow, really?"
"Good heavens, look at how he's talking."
"Did you just mock Chung Myung for being an orphan? Did you leave your human heart in Gangnam?”
"N- No, that's not what I meant!"
Baek Cheon, who had turned bright red, yelled.
"Everyone has a heart that wants to return to their hometown! That's what I'm saying. You pack of jackals!"
“Listen to that excuse.”
"Look at his character too, Amitabha."
Chung Myung, who quietly watching them bickering, smiled faintly.
"Ah, sure. Yes, the love of one’s hometown.”
"That’s why..."
“But Sasuk. Once you start farming, it takes at least a year, doesn't it?"
"Huh?"
The corners of Chung Myung's mouth twisted wickedly.
"After plowing the land once, do you think they can still return home?"
"...You..."
“It’s a good heart, good heart.”
Chung Myung shrugged his shoulders calmly at the horrified Baek Cheon.
"Those people are happy because there's a place to work, and we're happy because we lend... no, we lend land and receive appropriate rent. In the midst of that, we also develop Huayin."
It’s good to receive it. And in the process, you can develop harmony.”
“You, you clearly said that before. That Huayin wasn't a place that could grow that big because of its poor terrain."
"Oh, I did. How's that terrain now?"
“That terrain? Uh….”
Baek Cheon blinked. Now, a vast plain stretched out before his eyes, so much so that the end couldn't be seen.
“...It’s still awesome even seeing it again.”
"Humans did this."
"Even Emperor Yang would call this crazy if he saw it. Digging canals would be easier."
"Uh, well said. I was going to do that anyway."
"Huh? Do that?"
"Canal."
In that moment, Mount Hua disciples' heads turned towards one place with a jolt. Towards the river flowing majestically in the distance.
"No way..."
“No matter how much we dig wells, there’s no real solution. But if there’s a river flowing near the city, that takes care of a lot, doesn’t it?”
"......"
"Then farming would become easier too, and we'd secure more farmland to distribute to those yangban."
"...The river you're talking about, it's not by any chance that Wei River over there, is it?"
"Is there another river here?"
Silence fell. Baek Cheon barely managed to speak. He knew he shouldn't ask, but had to.
"Then... who's digging the canal?"
"......"
“Chung Myung-ah?”
No answer came. Baek Cheon's eyes, looking at Chung Myung's back, grew moist.
‘Just kill me. Just kill me already.’
He seriously contemplated. Whether it wouldn't be better to flee to Hubei as a refugee to survive.
|Note
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